As
a child, without telling my parents, I used
to go with my friends to Süreyya Beach
in Maltepe and spend the day swimming and playing
in the sun. When we got hungry we would busy
ourselves with preparations for a meal. While
some of us lit a fire at a concealed spot on
the beach, the others would swim out and collect
huge mussels. We would bury these in the embers
until they were cooked. This was my introduction
to shellfish and their wonderful flavour. Turkish
cuisine, which is regarded by many as one of
the world's greatest cuisines, made the acquaintance
of this delicious food many centuries ago. During
their long journey of migration from Central
Asia, the Turkish people incorporated the new
flavours they encountered into their own cooking.
When they arrived in Anatolia, a peninsula surrounded
on three sides by sea, they first made the acquaintance
of salt water fish and seafood. However, their
cuisine already included freshwater fish, as
we can deduce from the fact that the names for
all the latter, such as trout and carp, are
of Turkish origin.

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SHELLFISH FLAVOURS FROM THE SEA

2001 / JULY

Seafood
dishes cooked for example in casseroles over
a low heat with butter and herbs quickly took
the place they deserved in Turkish cuisine.
Consumption of shellfish became so widespread,
that we find references to oysters, lobsters
and shrimps in 15th century palace kitchen registers
dating from the reign of Mehmed II. For actual
recipes, however, we must move on into the early
19th century, when Mehmed Kamil's cookery book
Melceü't-Tabbahin (Refuge of Cooks) gives
several recipes for shellfish, which the Ottomans
called 'insects of the sea'.

It is essential that shellfish be perfectly
fresh. Those sold in Istanbul come from the
Bosphorus and neighbouring coastal provinces
on a daily basis. Shellfish are so popular in
Istanbul, that today there are many fast food
snack bars specialising in stuffed mussels and
mussels fried in batter.

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SHELLFISH FLAVOURS FROM THE SEA

2001 / JULY

Finding
specialities like oysters külbasti
style, on the other hand, is much harder, because
oysters and scallops must be ordered from Çanakkale
four days in advance. It is well worth the wait
though, I assure you. l

Method:
Add the vinegar to half a large saucepan of
water, bring to the boil and toss in the shrimps.
Cook for five minutes, then drain and shell.
Melt the butter in a broad shallow pan, add
the tomatoes and cook for five minutes. Remove
the seeds and stalks from the peppers, chop
finely and add to the tomatoes. Continue to
cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the finely chopped
mushrooms, ketchup, bay leaves, salt and black
pepper. Cook until the juice from the mushrooms
has evaporated, then add the shrimps and cook
for a further 2-3 minutes.

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SHELLFISH FLAVOURS FROM THE SEA

2001 / JULY

Pour
into a casserole and sprinkle grated Kasar
cheese and then the red pepper over the top.
Place in a pre-heated oven and bake until the
cheese has melted. Serve hot.

Method:Place
the mussels in water and scrape the shells well
all over with a knife. Then prise them open
along the broad edge with the knife, and cut
off the bristle without tearing the mussels
away from the shell. Rinse the opened mussels
well with water. Soak the rice in water for
ten minutes, rinse and drain. Place the olive
oil and pine nuts in a saucepan and stir over
heat until the nuts are lightly coloured. Add
the rice, one pinch each of salt and spices,
and one and a half cups of boiling water. Cover
and cook over a medium heat for 20 minutes,
then set aside for 10 minutes. Stuff the mussel
shells with the rice and tie with sewing thread
so that they do not come open during the cooking.
Place in a saucepan with half a cup of water
and lay a plate over the top to weigh them down.
Cook over a low heat for 10-15 minutes. When
cold serve with lemon wedges.